"OVER THE RESTLESS SEA." 

[Elberon speaks. September la, 1881, 10:36 P. M.) 



Ay! drape your homes lu black, 

And halt mast droop ilio Hag, 

And bid the cauuon souQd with auUeusob, 

And the drums boat with niourulul muffled throb. 

And, from their airy heights, the great bells toll. 

Startling the silent night with passing or a soul.— 

While o'er the trembling wire. 

Flashes the electric tire 

That turns to ashes every fond dealrel 

tiritalQ shall answer back 

From every wind-blown crag 

Whereon the mad sea, vainly breaking, moans: 

And France, with streaming eyes and solemn tones. 

Shall lead the diapason of the world's regret;— 

The sister lands, whose eyes with salt unwunied tear* 

are wet 
For him, the stricken leader ot the tree. 
Who, when his hour had come. 
Left his white palace home 
And sought the edge ot the unresting sea. 
His eager eyes delight to roam the boundless waters 

o'er 
While his great soul. Impatient, chafes to leave be- 

hlnil life's barren, bltier shore 1 



Men watched, but no one ^^aw 
Whence came the messenger, 
i.'ame he from over sea or from the siars> 
Theaugel, who, from out lire's prison bars 
Led that caim soul, so tranquilly and still, 
That none might know, or droam, of aught of 111. 
Above, the stnrs were shining; 
Below, the waves repining, 
Willi ppcret nf stnneo .Trior tioyonl ■llvlnlnir j 
II force of occult law. 
Or spell, if any were 

Cast by the angry Oods, In their unending wraili. 
Nor may we know where led his unseou path. 
Perchance, the thunder of the billows' ro.-ir 
Seemed like the echoing gnus he heard of yore 







When straight, as arrow lUes, he went where need 

was most, 
—(So now down all the years 
The same great call he hears!)— 
To stand with Thomas 'mid his hard-pressed host.t 
Instant he went— aareless ot life or death;— 
So ther.' Fame found him and, forevermore. 
Breathes his great name with her immortaillzlug 

breath. 

HI. 
Over the restless sea 
To-morrow's sun shall rise; 

Th6 world shall wake, but he no more shall wake. 
Who now majestic lies his rest to take. 
Nor pain nor sorrow now can touch him more; 
The bitterness of earthly life is o'er. 
Power from his grasp has fled. 
His days and rule are sped 
And mourners wail beside ihelr helpless dead. 
Rigid and dumb lies he. 
Deaf to all bitter cries 

Wherewith love vainly strives to reach his heart. 
Oh helpless human love, that Death can part 
From all it holds most dear 1 Nor, seems tt long 
Ere life's bright feast is chilled by Death's dark 

wrong ! 
Oh helpless, hapless, love, If Death end all I 
'Twere better not to be, 
If such our destiny. 

And hateful Death holds us in bitter thrall! 
The tyrant Death, who heeds nor love, nor power. 
Nor stays, for prayers or tears, the appointed hour! 

To-morrow's sun shall see 

A weeping continent; 

Oh vainly loved ! For thee the world with prayers 

For weary weeks besought the Power who cares,— 

So One hath said,— for sparrows when they fall, 

To spare thy life, but lo! Death answers all. 

But what Is "Death" to thee? 

The word which sets thee free 

And binds all hearts to thine in loving fealty I 

Now, life begins to be, 

And thou art well content;— 

For Death hath led thee, where world-honors seem 

Empty as phantoms of a fleeting dream. 

At last the riddle of the Sphinx is plain, 

Whate'er life had to give, to die were gala, 

For progress Is the law of endless life; 






3 



Tlie grave the opeu door, 

Through which the soul Joth soar, 

Like a white Uove, abovo the Geld ot strife- 

Uer new fouud plumes she tries with sudden joy 

Winging her flight toward Heaven, amain, 

Who.Ho unseen i,'U.ries all her thoughts employ! 

V. 

Who then is he Uus hero, 

Anil why do nations mourn? 

How make in simplest words the answer plain 

How win from bitter loss some little gain' 

Here, snatched from life by an Insensate crime 

A hero lle9,-cut off before his prime. 

So died, on Trojan plain, 

Fair youth untimely slain, 

Nor, for their late did any thus complain. 

As they on funeral bier 

To burial were borne; 

For when on battle j.lain a hero dies, 

Prldo In his prowe.ss mingles with our sighs 

But here, nor duty's call, nor wrath of foe 

Nor any open conlllet, laid him low 

«acure ho seemed from 111. whom Fortune gave 

Her choicest gifts of power;- 

Then struck the fated hour 

And earth held nothing for him but a grave I 

Oh strange, dark mystery which baaies th.-u-ht 

That now. as In .he olden days uf woe. 

The awful Fates their stem decrees have wrought! 

VI. 

Rules Fate our lives to day 

As In that olden time 

When the stern sisters gray their weird watch keot 

"ad.or.efor,o„«..:r;;;i;;;n,;r:ri;r 

The mighty Gods their wins Obey. 
For mightier than the Gods are they 
y^ ho life and death decree al way 
Such homage ancient poota pay 
The Sister Fates sublime. 

We saw the proud procession on Its way 

Z\ZX^r' ""' ^""^""^^ t>anner: gav 
We heatd the joyous music thrilij-he air 
The people's glad huz2as,blent w h thl m 
Of trumpets, fiery flfes. and stirring rum:" 
While every eye was bent *> "run'S. 



On the new President 

Where, mid the clustering guards, at last, he comes! 

Who saw, that day.hls friendly smile and manly bear- 
ing high 

Had thought, that with him as he went, dark Fate 
was passing by? 

VII. 

Now from my barren shore 
Let reverent hands upbear— 
The loving, tender hands that brought him here— 
And sadly place upon the funeral bier. 
All that Is left to us of him we knew. 
Let prayers be said, and ample homage due 
Be paid, with sweet retrain 
Of music's saddest strain. 
And streaming tears that fall in bitter rain, 
For him who nevermore 
Our hopes or tears may share. 
From these salt waves to where the waters sweet 
Of his loved lake may play beneath his feet 
Take him with tender care; there it may seem, 
'Mid scenes of home, he sleeps In happy dream. 
Sleep well ! my shores that knew thy parting breath 
\ Forevermore shall be 
Enlinked In History 

With thy great name, that triumphs over Death. 
For Death the conqueror is vanquished, when 
His conquered hero rules the hearts of menl 

I. EDWAEDS CLARKE. 

♦Written for tlie Garfield memorial meeting of The 
Literary Society of Washington, held Nov. ly, 1881. 

tit will be remembered that the 19th of September 
Is the anniversary of Chlckamauga. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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